State Opens COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility to All Texans

COVID-19_Vaccine_Distribution_Meeting

All Texas adults will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine starting March 29, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said today.

Practices should continue to prioritize patients who are 80 and older “whether or not they have an appointment, by immediately moving them to the front of the line,” DSHS also said.

“We are closing in on 10 million doses administered in Texas, and we want to keep up the momentum as the vaccine supply increases,” said Imelda Garcia, DSHS associate commissioner for laboratory and infectious disease services and the chair of the state’s Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel.

Currently, physicians, health care professionals, anyone 50 and older or 16 and older with comorbidities, and school and licensed childcare providers are eligible to receive vaccines.

Three vaccines have received an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of COVID-19:

  • Janssen: A single-dose vaccine authorized for people 18 years and older;
  • Moderna: A two-dose vaccine authorized for people 18 years and older; and
  • Pfizer/Bio-N-Tech: A two-dose vaccine authorized for people 16 years and older.

There are numerous requirements physicians and health care facilities must adhere to in order to administer vaccines, including enrolling in state registries and following steps for storing and administering doses. The Texas Medical Association has published a list of important information to know about administering the vaccines.

Also next week, DSHS will launch a website that will allow people to find upcoming vaccine clinics hosted by DSHS or a participating local health department and to schedule an appointment. People can continue to find additional providers though the DSHS Vaccine Information page.

To date, more than 9.4 million Texans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccines, and 3.2 million have been fully vaccinated, DSHS has reported.

Last Updated On

March 23, 2021

Originally Published On

March 23, 2021

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